Carbon Monoxide poisoning...

Old 07-15-2012, 06:53 PM
  #1  
DRTRCR22
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Default Carbon Monoxide poisoning...

Something to think about... I have been unexplainably sick will all of these symptoms, for several years, and doctors can find nothing...?
While discussing with a friend today why I feel so horrible with nausea, headache, dizziness, blurry vision and ears ringing... and mentioning having to run an extra rich mixture of methanol fuel in my (dirt modified)race car last night, where the fumes were burning my eyes and throat as I sat in the running car waiting for the race start... it finally hit me!
I have always wondered why I am the sickest for several days after a race night, or when tuning an engine in the shop even with the doors open and fans running. Now, after extensive reseach on the net, I can now suspect this as the culprit...
"When a healthy person is exposed to a low level of CO, they typically begin to have trouble concentrating. Other early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning typically show up as a person becomes somewhat uncoordinated, feels quite tired, and/or has a mild headache. Then the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning get stronger as flu-like, food-poisoning-like, or alcohol-poisoning-like symptoms: headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, exhaustion, mild incoherence, blurred vision, and brain fog".
There are also several studies of long term effects from frequent CO poisonings, most of which I have the symptoms. I wear a fresh-air blower helmet while in the car, and will have to find a carbon monoxide filter element instead of the microfiber element, but that does not help when I'm working on the the car with the engine running...?
So now what? Do I quit racing and get away from race engines...?
Which one is going to kill me faster... the fumes or the boredom...?

If anyone is suffering from unexplained illnesses that doctors cannot determine the cause, this just might be the culprit. I have been to numerous doctors and thousands of dollars in tests, but no doctor has ever come up with an answer... of course I didn't know to mention possible CO poisoning until now...?
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Old 07-15-2012, 07:09 PM
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fast75vega
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sounds about right.... glad ya got it figured out... that shit can kill ya
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Old 07-15-2012, 08:03 PM
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zipper06
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Sounds plausably, i can tell you that when i switched to alcohol on my Malibu with under the chassis headers, i would make a pass and could barely drive back to the pits and then threw up from the fumes. I had to install turn outs to keep the fumes out of the car, and it's a stock firewall and floor bach to the wheel tubs. I know a lot of sprint cars donot use turnout on the cars and this i have never understood. If running alcohol a person should absolutly use turnouts to keep the fumes out of the car.

Not my opinion, but fact.

Zip.
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Old 07-16-2012, 03:23 AM
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andamo
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Years ago I got carbon monoxide poisoning at work. The doctor in the emergency room told me that my threshold for CO poisoning in the future would be lower and to be careful around CO producing equipment. Now this happened in the mid 70's and only recently have I started having problems again. When we warm up the car in the pits I have to move upwind and as far away as possible from the exhaust fumes as I can. And no longer will I accompany the car to the starting line unless there is a good breeze blowing because the fumes trap themselves in the starting line area. So what the doctor told me 35 years ago is happening now and I have to be careful of where I'm at in the pits and near the track.
This also explains why a few years ago when I went to a local dirt track I felt like crap at the end of the evening. I just thought I was coming down with the 24 hour bug, but looking back I think it was the CO affecting me.
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Old 07-16-2012, 04:43 AM
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outlaw256
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if you wondered why you were sick for a few days after a race then why in the hell did it take you yrs to fiqure it out.
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Old 07-16-2012, 06:35 AM
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as Zip said this is one of the reason I run fender exit headers which happens to have 5 inch collectors...I no longer have the crazy fumes and the noise level has decreased dramatically for me the driver...lol compared to when I ran collectors under the car
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Old 07-18-2012, 11:58 AM
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DRTRCR22
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Originally Posted by outlaw256
if you wondered why you were sick for a few days after a race then why in the hell did it take you yrs to fiqure it out.
Well, just like andamo said above, and from what I read online, there is a progression of long term damage and reduced tollerance that is not readily identifiable unless you are an expert in carbon monoxide poisoning, which I am not. I had no idea that there were lingering effects and reduced tollerance to short term exposures.
I also have severe allergies that I have to take mutliple shots every week to control, and I thought maybe is was the "Buffalo-Waller" clay dust at the one track that I was breathing in that was making me sick.
Or, I guess I could just be a dumb-ass and just not thought of that, thinking instead that once away from the exposure and into good clean air everything was fine...
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Old 07-18-2012, 01:54 PM
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Sounds legit. Makes sense. Never had that happen myself, but glad you got some wisdom on it. Now that you are educated; I would take full advantage of altering the car & procedure to avoid this as much as possible. I think you keep doing the sport you love. Racing may take you out one day; but you are not going to be able to take Racing out of your life easily... there has to be a way you can keep going brother!!! Chin up.
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Old 07-18-2012, 03:21 PM
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Oh I will Rigs, thanks, the whole point of this whole post is just to share with friends and others the possibilities from ignoring this deadly demon, and hope to help someone else avoid a tragedy.
As far as keepin on doing what I love, I hope to die like Dale Sr. did... turn four eyeballing the checkers, then, BAMMMM, lights out!... none of this laying in a hospital bed rotting away from cancer...
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Old 07-18-2012, 03:30 PM
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Amen brutha. No flames/drowning please. Just a good solid SMACK...
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